INTERESTING INFO: MARADONA A FOOTBALLING AVENGER-THE RISE AND FALL

THE RISE AND FALL OF MARADONA-A FOOTBALLING AVENGER

There have been many players who swayed the hearts of the viewers with their beautiful skill and technique in the beautiful game of football.Only few players are worshipped as ‘GODS’ by the viewers.Maradona belongs to the second category.

Born in Lanús, Buenos Aires Province to a very poor family, young Maradona was brought up in Villa Fiorito.Young Maradona had only two targets in mind:To see himself wearing the Argentina national jersey and to become a World Champion.So he started training with other street kids in the outskirts of Beunos Aires.

YOUNG MARADONA

The Rise:

At the age of 10,the talented kid was spotted by a talent scout when the child prodigy was playing for his neighbourhood club,’Estrella Roja’.The boy quickly became the backbone of Los Cebollitas(The Little Onions),the junior team of Argentina based football club Argentinos Juniors.He used to amuse spectors by showing his wizardry on the ball in the half time intermissions.

MARADONA AT ARGENTINOS JUNIORS

10 days before his 16^th birthday,Maradonna made his professional debut with the senior team of Argentionos Juniors.He played there between 1976 and 1981,scoring 115 goals in 117 appearances before his 1million GBP transfer to Argentina football giants Boca Juniors .A year later,Maradonna picked silverware in the form of the league championship medal.

MARADONA AT BOCA JUNIORS

Maradonna finally fulfilled his dream of donning the national jersey by making a full international debut at age 16, against Hungary on 27 February 1977. At age 18, he played the World Youth Championship for Argentina, and was the star of the tournament, shining in their 3–1 final win over the Soviet Union.

MARADONA AFTER THE WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP

On 2 June 1979, Maradona scored his first senior international goal in a 3–1 win against Scotland at Hampden Park.Maradona played his first World Cup tournament in 1982. Argentina played Belgium in the opening game of the 1982 Cup in Barcelona. The Catalan crowd was eager to see their new world-record signing Diego Maradona in action, but he did not perform to expectations.Argentina, the defending champions, lost to Belgium 1–0. Although the team convincingly beat Hungary and El Salvador to progress to the second round, they were defeated in the second round byBrazil and by eventual winners Italy

MARADONA IN ACTION IN 1982 WORLD CUP

After the 1982 World Cup in June, Maradona was transferred to FC Barcelona in Spain for a then world record fee of£5m ($7.6m). In 1983, under coach César Luis Menotti, Barcelona and Maradona won the Copa del Rey (Spain's annual national cup competition), beating Real Madrid, and the Spanish Super Cup, beating Athletic Bilbao. However, Maradona had a difficult tenure in Barcelona.First a bout with hepatitis, then a broken ankle caused by an ill-timed tackle by Athletic's Andoni Goikoetxea threatened with jeopardizing Maradona's career, but after treatment and therapy it was possible for him to soon be back on the pitch.

MARADONA AT BARCELONA

During his two injury-hit seasons at Barcelona, Maradona scored 38 goals in 58 games. At Barcelona, Maradona got into frequent disputes with the team's directors, especially club president Josep Lluís Núñez, culminating with a demand to be transferred out of Camp Nou in 1984. He was transferred to Napoli in Italy's Serie A for another world record fee, £6.9m ($10.48m).

MARADONA ARRIVES AT NAPOLI

At Napoli, Maradona reached the peak of his professional career. He quickly became an adored star among the club's fans, and in his time there he elevated the team to the most successful era in its history. Led by Maradona, Napoli won their only Serie A Italian Championships in 1986/87 and 1989/1990, placing second in the league twice, in 1987/88 and 1988/89. Other honors during the Maradona era at Napoli included the Coppa Italia in 1987, (second place in the Coppa Italia in 1989), the UEFA Cup in 1989 and the Italian Supercup in 1990. Maradona was the top scorer in Serie A in 1987/88.

Maradona finally achieved the holy grail of International football,the world cup in 1986.It was in this world cup that the world came to know about the mecurial player who played every minute in the game.He scored 5 goals and 5 assists in the process,but two of these goals standout,both scored against England in the Semi-finals.The first,scored with his hand,controversially named as ’Hand of God’ goal and the second one ‘Goal of the Century’ which marked his genius as he dribbled past 5 English players before going on to score. He is the only player to win the Golden Ball at both the FIFA U-20 World Cup and FIFA World Cup, in 1979 and 1986 respectively.

MARADONA AFTER THE WORLD CUP WIN

The Fall:

Every fairy tale has a demon.Maradona’s life is no exception.Maradona was a cocaine addict from the mid 1980s until 2000.He allegedly began using the drug in 1983 when he played for Barcelona.By the time he joined Napoli,he was a regular addict,which began to interfere with his play.

Though Argentina reached the 1990 world cup finals only to be eventual runnerup,cocaine began to take its toll on the former world cup winner. After serving a 15-month ban for failing a drug test for cocaine, Maradona left Napoli in disgrace in 1992. Despite interest from Real Madrid of Spain and Olympique Marseille of France, he signed for Sevilla of Spain, where he stayed for one year.In 1993 he played for Newell's Old Boys.He was even sent home from the 1994 World Cup after another failed drug test,which signalled the end of his glorious international career.In 1995 he returned to Boca Juniors for two years.

MARADONA AFTER GAINING WEIGHT IN 2005

In 2000, Maradona published his autobiography Yo Soy El Diego ("I am The Diego"), which became an instant bestseller in his home country. Two years later, Maradona donated the Cuban royalties of his book to "the Cuban people and Fidel.

In 2000, he won FIFA Player of the Century award which was to be decided by votes on their official website, their official magazine and a grand jury. Maradona won the Internet based poll by wide margins, garnering 53.6% of the votes against 18.53% for Pelé. In spite of this, and shortly before the ceremony, FIFA unexpectedly decided to add a second award and appointed a "Football Family" committee composed of football journalists that also gave to Pelé the title of best player of the century to make it a draw.

The rise:

A phoenix rises from the ashes.Same is the case for MAradona.He became the national coach of football team after rehabilliation ,numerous weight reduction programmes in 2008.He framed a winning formula and took Argentina through the qualifying rounds of world cup 2010 held in South Africa.Th team won every match until the quarter finals only to be defeated by Germany in the quarter finals.A hero’s welcome was given to Maradona and the team back home and a promise of a contract extension until the next world cup was made.However,few days later,the Argentina Football Association relieved Maradona of his duties.An ill-fated one year reign in a Dubai based club followed.

COACHING ARGENTINA

Still idol to millions,Maradona’s image as a mecurial footballer will never be forgotten and The Goal of the Century will always be in the hearts of fans aslong as a football is kicked on this earth.